Book holder



April 1, 1958 G. L. ANDERSON 2,828,577

BOOK HOLDER Filed sept. 15, 1955 E INVENTOR. erfrzzie A flfiZe ra a 71 [7' raxwzyst BOOK HOLDER Gertrude L. Anderson, Grand Rapids, Mich.

Application September 13, 1955, Serial No. 534,030

3 Claims. (CI. 45-80) This invention relates to supporting devices, and particularly to an improved support design for the comfort and convenience of persons reading in bed, and adapted to support books, magazines and other reading matter in such manner and position as to be easily readable while the user is reclining, either fiat or in a partially elevated position.

Although many book supports have been designed and constructed heretofore for use while reading in bed, most of these have either been so designed that the supported reading matter is inclined at an objectionable angle to the readers line of vision, or have been unduly complicated in construction, or difficult to use.

It is an important object of this invention to provide an improved support for books and the like, particularly for reading in bed, and which is so designed that the reading matter is held at a proper angle to the line of vision of a reclining reader.

A further object is to provide such a support which is simple and convenient to erect and to use, which permits the pages to be easily turned, which is light in weight and low in cost yet rigid, stable when in position, which does not interfere with free movement of the user, and which is compact and foldable to flat condition for convenient storage.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a support which is easily adjustable to accommodate users of different size as well as to adjust for different positions of the user, and which is also adapted to support reading matter in positions suitable for a user when sitting or standing.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon consideration of the present disclosure in its entirety.

In the drawing:

Figure l is a perspective view of a book support constructed in accordance with the invention, showing the same setup for use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a front elevation;

Fig. 4' is a fragmentary sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional detail taken substantially on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawing, my improved support comprises four supporting legs, which may be formed of straight sections of metallic tubing, wood or other suitable material. In the preferred construction shown in the drawing, the legs are formed of aluminum tubing of rectangular cross section, although this is of course a matter of choice. The positions of the legs and other parts will be designated by reference to a user facing or lying beneath the support. The right-hand front and rear legs, designated and 11 respectively, are pivoted together at their tops, and the left-hand front and rear legs 12, 14,

.U ittEd States a m respectively, are also pivoted together at their tops. Both pairs of legs are pivoted coaxially. to opposite sides of a book carrier frame 15 which depends from and is swingable upon the same pivot means.

In the preferred construction illustrated, the book carrier frame comprises an inverted U-shaped strap metal support having a straight top crossbar 16 and depending side arms 18, 20. The left arm 18 of such frame lies parallel and close to, but within the plane occupied by, the left legs 12, 14, while the right side arm 20 lies similarly close to but within the plane of the two right legs 10, 11. Near the upper end of each side arm of the frame, directly beneath the integral crossbar 16, a bolt 24, projects through the arm and outwardly therefrom. The bolts 24, 25 define the previously mentioned pivot means, the two bolts being arranged coaxially.

As best brought out in Fig. 3, the downwardly extending side arm portions 18, 20 of the book frame 15 are of substantial length and are rigidly interconnected near their lower extremities by a transverse bracing and book supporting easel member generally designated 22.

The frame portion 15 and easel portion 22 form a rigid rectangular unit serving to interconnect and support the pairs of legs 10, 11, 12, 14, and it will be observed that the complete frame structure thus defined is mounted for swinging movement about the axis defined by the coaxial bolts 24, 25.

Fig. 5 shows the pivot bolt arrangement in greater detail. As there shown, the bolt 25 extends through and near the top of the frame side leg portion 20, and later ally and perpendicularly outwardly therefrom. The head 26 of the bolt lies inside the arm 2'0 and the stem 28 of the bolt extends outwardly through an aperture 3% in the arm and through openings 34, 32 in the legs 11, 10, re: spectively. Washers 35, 36, and 37 are interposed between the arm 20 and leg 11, between the two legs and between the outer leg 10 and a wing nut 38 threaded upon the bolt. A sleeve, as 4t}, 42 may be positioned within each of the legs to prevent the legs from collapsing when the wing nut is tightened, each such sleeve being slightly larger in diameter than the bolt holes and posi tioned concentrically therewith so that the bolt may be extended through them when the partsare assembled as shown in Fig. 5. Preferably and at least in the case of the front legs 10, 12, a plurality of bolt holes 32 are pro vided, and sloeve' lli fits the interior of such leg loosely enough so that it can be moved into ali nment with any of these holes. It will be appreciated that by moving the relative positioningof the front legs and the bolts 24, 25, so that the bolts are projected through different ones of the holes 32, the effective height of support, as well as the angularity of the legs for a given spread thereof, may be adjusted.

The easel 22 may be formed of sheet metal and may comprise a flat transverse back portion 44, lying substantially in the plane of the frame side portions 18, 20 and extending between and secured thereto, as by welding or in any other convenient manner, and a bottom shelf portion 45 projecting perpendicularly forwardly from the. frame portion 44. An upwardly bent front retaining flange or lip 46 is provided on the shelf portion 45 and coacts with the back portion 44 to define a transverse pocket, adapted to support theloweredge of a book, magazine, or other reading material. Preferably the shelf is substan-' tially wider, in a direction forwardly and rearwardly of the support, than the maximum thickness of books to be accommodated upon the support, so that when a book as 50 is in position upon the support, its pages are only loosely confined between the upwardly extending portions 44, 46. It will also be observed that the front flange 46 is shallow, that is, of a relatively small dimension vertically, so that by lifting the book slightly, the pages are completely freed from the flange 46, and may easily be turned.

In order to prevent the reading material from falling, I preferably employ'an elastic strap 52. The, strap 52 is formed of easily stretched elastic material, such as woven elastic webbing, and is secured at its left and right ends to the frame side arm members 18, 20 respectively, and is adapted to extend in front of the supported book The ends of the strap may simply be looped around the frame side arm portions 18, 20 so that the entire strap may be moved up and down. This movability is con venient to compensate for books of different weight.

It will be seen that when the legs are angularly spread to the front and rear as shown, the entire frame structure is self-supporting and of the general shape of a conventional tent frame. The width of the assembly, that is, the spacing between the left pair of legs and the right pair of legs, is substantially greater than the width of the human body, so that when the user is in a reclining position, the frame may be stood, in the manner clearly illustrated in Fig. l, with the left legs 12, 14 to the left of the body, and the right legs 10, 11 to the right of the body.

Rigid angular positioning of the supporting frame 15 with respect to the legs is insured by an adjustable link 55 which provides an adjustable connection between the bottom of one of the book frame side arms as and one of the rear legs, as 11. Preferably two links are employed, one on each side, for increased rigidity, each link being pivotally attached at one end, as by means of a rivet 56, to the side arm, and provided with a series of notches as 58 adapted to selectively overengage a pin 60 secured to and projecting inwardly from the leg.

It should be noted that the links 55 make its possible to position the book frame so that supported reading material is inclined downwardly, toward a reclining patient or user, and so that the pages lie more nearly perpendicular to the line of vision, while yet presenting a minimum of interference with free movement of the user. It should also be observed that the design is such that when in use the rear legs may be positioned near or below the hips of the patient, while the bottoms of the front legs may be above the shoulders. When the user is lying in bed, therefore, the bottoms of the front legs 10, 12 may rest upon or above the pillow. There is thus a minimum of confinement or restriction of movement of the user.

Despite the inclination of the book when in use, the major proportion of the weight of the book is carried by the shelf 45. Thus the strap 52 is only loaded very lightly in tension, even by a heavy book, and the strap may be, and preferably is, formed of very easily stretchable material. It has been found that with this arrangement the pages can easily be turned without displacing the strap from its overlying engagement with respect to the book. In fact, utilizing light woven plastic webbing, and with most reading material, it is possible to turn the pages without even pulling the strap 52 upwardly and away from the reading material, and without lifting the book clear of the lip 46, simply by turning the pages in a natural manner and placing the hand which is turning the page under the central portion of'the page which the strap overlies, and pushing the page over, beneath the strap. The lip 46 being relatively low, and the shelf 45 being wide, the pages will pass over the lip easily without lifting the book, although if it is desired to prevent any tendency to fray the bottoms of the pages, the book may easily be slightly lifted with the left hand, until the pages are free overlapping interengagement with structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced 2,828,677 I p r I of the lip flange 46, while a page is turned, in the indicated manner, with the right hand.

If desired my improved book support may also be arranged to provide a convenient support for a book or reading material when the user is sitting or standing. At such time convenience is promoted by inclining the reading material upwardly, rather than downwardly, and in order to permit such use of the support, I preferably pro vide upon the links 55 a series of notches 62 upon the side opposite to the notches 58, and spacer rivets, as 64, projecting inwardly from the front legs 10, 12. Thus in order to incline the supported material rearwardly, rather than forwardly, it is merely necessary to swing the links to the forwardly projecting positioning, and hook them over the front leg spacer rivets 64, as will be readily apparent.

While it will also be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the invention herein described is wellcalculated to fulfill the objects and advantages-first above stated, it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible to variation, modification and change without departing from the fair meaning and proper scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a support for books and the like, a front leg leg portions adapted to lie in a common plane and a rear leg structure comprising a pair of laterally spaced leg portions adapted to lie in another common plane, said leg structures being pivoted together at their tops upon a single transverse axis which is substantially common to both of said planes, a swingable book carrier pivoted to said support near the tops of said leg structures upon an axis parallel and relatively close to said first-mentioned axis and depending between said front and rear structures and adjustably swingable toward either of said structures and away fromthe other, to lie in different adjusted positions more nearly parallel to one or the other of said structures at. will, means for securing said book carrier in different adjusted positions, and displaceable book holding means carried by the carrier.

2. An easel-like book support having a pair of front legs and a pair of back legs, said legs pivoted together at their tops upon a transverse axis, and a separatebook carrier adjustably secured to the back legs and having book supporting means on the side thereof toward the front legs, whereby a book or the like may be supported in a transverse plane between the front and back. legs.

3. A support as defined in claim 2 wherein saidbook carrier includes a lower shelf portion extending substantially parallel to the axis of pivotal support of the carrier, and retaining flange portions carried by said shelf portion to prevent a book from moving forwardly or rearwardly 01f of the shelf portion.

References Cited in the file of this patent i UNITED STATES PATENTS 230,750 Crandell -2 Aug. 3, 1880 462,420 Westerfield Nov. 3, 1891 518,594 Fitzhugh Apr. 24, 189.4 631,512 Reid ,Aug. 22, 1899 1,286,018 Jones NOV. 26, 1918 1,654,868 Ebel Ian. 3, 1928 2,062,553 Campos Dec. 1, 1936 2,648,155 Shea Aug. 11, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 185,103 France Sept. 16, 1936 

